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English 220: Rewriting the Renaissance

Why is gathering background research important?

It's important to familiarize yourself with a topic before you begin doing more specific and extensive research. 

Background research will help you:

  • Narrow your topic and focus your research question
  • Find historical information, trends, agreements and disagreements, related to the topic, and uncovers gaps in your knowledge
  • Learn the context of a topic -- the who, what, when, where, why, and how 
  • Uncover keywords you can use to do more extensive research
  • Find additional sources on your topic

Reference Books : General Literary Theory and Criticism

A Companion to Literary Theory

Available online. 

Critical Terms for Literary Study

Call Number: PN81 .C84 1995

Reference Books : Renaissance Literature and Culture

A Companion to English Renaissance Literature and Culture

Call Number: PR411 .C66 2000 (Reference Room)

Also available online. 

 

The Cambridge Companion to English Poetry, Donne to Marvell

Call Number: PR541 .C36 1993

Also available online. 

The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare

Call Number: PR2892 .O94 2015 (Oversize)

Also available online. 

The Oxford Handbook of John Donne

Call Number: PR2248 .O94 2011

Also available online.

The Cambridge Companion to Andrew Marvell

Available via Carleton (PR3546 .C26 2011) and online. 

 

Reference Databases